Minister Bartlett to Participate in High-Level Tourism Engagements in Japan  

Hon. Minister Bartlett to represent Jamaica at state funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has been invited to participate in the much-anticipated Tourism EXPO Japan 2022 tradeshow, where he will seek to facilitate crucial discussions as part of efforts to tap into the Asian market.

The all-inclusive travel trade event, known as: “One of the world’s largest Travel Trade Exhibitions,” will take place from September 22 to September 25, 2022 and gather key players from the world’s tourism industry and travel-related business fields. It is expected to offer several opportunities, including business meetings, and direct business-to-business and business-to-customer promotions.

Mr. Bartlett said he is looking forward to the opportunity to leverage the positive relationship that exists between Jamaica and Japan, to foster tourism cooperation as well as to promote Jamaica at the travel trade show.

“Tourism EXPO Japan 2022 will provide a very crucial platform for Jamaica to forge key partnerships as we seek to tap into the lucrative Asian market,” Minister Bartlett said.

He underscored that:

“We have been laying the foundation for growth in arrivals out of the Asian market over the last few years.”

“So, our participation in this important event is quite timely as we seek out new and emerging markets in the post-COVID-19 era, as part of our drive to boost arrivals and earnings in order to surpass our pre-COVID record levels,” he added.

During his trip Minister Bartlett is slated to meet with several senior government officials and business interests, including Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shunsuke TAKEI; Mr. Hiroyuki Takahashi, Chairman of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and Chairman of Japan’s tourism bureau, JTB Corporation; and Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Ms Sachiko Imoto.

The Tourism Minister also indicated that he is looking forward to discussions and the sharing of insights that will come out of the expo. Mr. Bartlett will also represent Jamaica at the State Funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The former PM, the longest-serving leader in modern Japan, was fatally shot on July 8.

While in Japan, Minister Bartlett will also participate in the 9th Edition of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre’s (GTRCMC) Virtual Edmund Bartlett Lecture Series. The event will be among the major activities for Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2022, which runs locally from September 25 to October 1. The theme for the week will be consistent with the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) theme for World Tourism Day, which is being observed on September 27th under the theme: “Rethinking Tourism.”

Other activities include a Thanksgiving Church Service on Sunday, September 25; Style Jamaica Runway Show on Monday, September 26; a Tourism Opportunities Visionary Symposium on Tuesday, September 27; a youth forum on Wednesday, September 28; a special virtual Knowledge Forum on Thursday, September 29; the official launch of the Innovation-Based Tourism Incubator on Friday, September 30; school speaking engagements from Monday, September 26, to Friday, September 30; and a youth poster competition.

Minister Bartlett left the island today, (Monday, September 19), and is set to return on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Tel: (876) 920-4926-30

Or

Kingsley Roberts

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Tel: 920-4926-30, ext.: 5990

Cell: (876) 505-6118

Fax: 920-4944